October 2005

October 31, 2005

Hey. The black blogs map is up to 41 folks. Check it out if you get the chance. My wife and I talk about how black people are...well we're everywhere. We got folks as far south as Guatamala, as far north as Portland. And I had no idea that Dell was in Nebraska. Shouts out to the following blogs who I will do my best to read...well not regularly, but semi-regularly:

Human minds serve “fitness” – not “truth”. Since every individual is programmed to pursue personal fitness and lie about intentions, no civilization has ever been able to convince its members to cooperate enough to survive the depletion of the energy resources which gave it birth. When confronted with ever-declining resources, the preservation of civilization requires more-and-more cooperation, but individuals are genetically programmed to reduce cooperation. This genetic program sets up a positive feedback loop: declining common resources cause individuals to reduce cooperation even more, which reduces common resources even faster.

Some folks are really touchy these days. Take, for instance, these four readers: D.G., J., W.T. and D.L. They didn't care for my column on Harriet Miers ["The Right, on Fire Over Miers," Oct. 8] and thus availed themselves of the opportunity to tell me so by e-mail.

Wrote D.G.: "Some portly Episcopalian [an indelicate reference to moi ] who condones the systemic elimination of the helpless Unborn styles himself a good heart because he happens to be black and benefiting from the Graham family's quota mania. What a joke!!!"

From J.: "If you weren't Black, you wouldn't get a job in journalism. You are in due to a tacit quota system."

And W.T.: "Reading your article is like watching a black minstrel doing his song and dance with words. Pure buffoonery! Affirmative action writer in action."

Since I have time to waste, I decided to check the blogspot.com domain to see if anyone referenced the hate emails Colbert I. King received. I found one reference to the article but it was for the article itself.

I searched the typepad.com domain as well, and saw references to other articles, but not this one.

That's different from Michelle Malkin's situation, isn't it?

It seems, to me, that "minority" conservatives are being given special treatment by conservatives. Some would call that patronizing.

Wynton Marsalis writes about New Orleans in this week's New Republic. His ideas about sustained intensity resound with me. If I could only leave my kids with one skill? One trait? It'd be that of sustained intensity.

As an aside, one of the worst aspects of the blog as a form is that in most cases it detracts from sustained intensity.

"Black politics" can be dirty, just like "regular" politics. From memory, these are some of the things that have happened, in no particular order:

In Baltimore, Black Democrats for city council seats have tried to "out Black" their rivals by saying they would fight for the interests of "Black folk" in their district and that their rivals were beholden to "Johns Hopkins" or other outside interests.

Again in Baltimore, some Black talk show hosts have called Black Democrat politicians names like "buck dancing negroes", "sellouts", "coons", etc.

In N.J., Corey Booker's run for mayor saw his opponent use the "not really Black" charge against him.

In D.C., the mayoral race often has politicians and "local leaders" saying that this person cares about people "east of the river" or saying that that person only cares about the ward Georgetown is in. "East of the river" is the mostly Black and poor area of D.C.

Those examples are given to show the "Black flavah" of "our" politics. Frankly, I don't like it because when I see it used, sometimes (many times?) it's used to hide and ignore some of the real issues involved in the race. In the case of Corey Booker, it was used when polls showed Cory Booker was leading in the race.

Now, the question of the day: how often do those antics reach the level of national attention of the incident with Michael Steele and the doctored picture?

Does this mean I condone it? Uhhhh.... "Hell to da naw!!!!".

But I'm increasingly starting to wonder why "Black conservatives" or "Black Republicans" are getting special treatment or protection and/or asking for special treatment or protection from "normal" Black politics?

I'm serious.

Is it OK for Black Democrats to call other Black Democrats sellout but Black Republicans/Black conservatives are so fragile that they must be protected from it?

We waited four hours in line to see Mrs. Parks' body while it lied in state at the Capitol Building in DC.

I underestimated the wait by seven hours at LEAST. We left at midnight...and would have had to stay until 7am to view the body (maybe). While Mrs. Parks had no biological children it was clear that many of us considered her more than family.

October 30, 2005

Word out of South Bend, Indiana is that new coach Charlie Weis (former Offensive Coordinator of the three-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriots) has inked a new 10-year contract to coach the Fighting Irish football team.

It seems that the Irish's 5-2 record (losses to Michigan State and #1 USC) has inspired the administration, alumni and trustees to extend the tenure of Weis. The Irish have beaten Pittsburgh (one of the worst teams in the nation), Michigan (having a down year with 3 losses already), and several other mediocre teams. The Irish have not yet beaten a quality team this year. Why does any of this matter? Simple. Another coach walked down this path not too long ago.

That coach is presently leading the Washington Huskies. He began his career in the NFL with Dennis Green and the Minnesota Vikings and worked closely with the coach of the NFL's remaining undefeated team (Tony Dungy - Indianapolis Colts)...That coach began his college coaching career with the Stanford Cardinal and consistently won big games that his team should have lost. He was offered the gig at Notre Dame when everyone else turned the job down. He was offered the job when one candidate was found to have fabricated his resume. And he started his career 8-0...

And he beat an elite national power ON THE ROAD - but was not offered a ten-year contract extension...That coach's name is Tyrone Willingham.

The contract extension offer to Weis says Notre Dame is willing to accept the chance of prolonged mediocrity under a white coach - and they were unwilling to accept the chance of sustained excellence under a black coach. At similar points in their coaching tenure, the university elected to move in diametrically related directions.

I'm sure there's a story of merit in there somewhere. It is not discernable to the naked or experience eye, but it must be there, because if it's not there, then the cynics will carry the day.

October 29, 2005

I thought Harriet Miers would get confirmed, despite the pressure from conservative interest groups. I thought that way until I read that she seemed to support affirmative action. I knew she wouldn't get it then. (Colbert I. King wrote the same thing in this article, but he goes on to defend "activist judges". It's worth a read).

What this episode shows is how the president was forced to deal with his party's base. He had to buckle to the pressure which shows the strength of the base.

Now, compare that to Bill Clinton when his base said that the cocaine/crack sentencing disparity law should be allowed sunset. Instead, he made it permanent.

Black Democrats who are active in party politics should take note and do a real self assessment of political support.

I think I'm going to send letters to some Maryland Black Democrat politicians to needle them.